


The Space In Between

by Bette_H7



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-04-12 02:45:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bette_H7/pseuds/Bette_H7
Summary: This is a series about Nicole and Waverly's romance, which explores imagined scenes that fill in what we already know of them. I'm starting with just after their meeting, and it'll continue through til after their relationship starts. It's been done before, but I hope you'll like my spin on it.





	1. Shelter From The Cold

Nicole placed the picture frame on top of the bookcase, arranging it next to a candy skull ornament she’d picked up on a trip down to Mexico. She’d finally finished putting the case together this afternoon after unpacking her last few boxes, listening to Amy Winehouse while Calamity Jane snoozed nearby.

  
Usually, assembling Ikea furniture was torture, but she’d enjoyed getting this place in order. Living in the sticks had its advantages. She would never be able to afford the rent on a house like this in the city. Accepting a position in Purgatory wasn’t an obvious choice, but she was convinced that it was the right one for her. In a small town, she could distinguish herself as an officer instead of getting lost in the shuffle. She was going to sponge up everything she could while she was here.

  
There were people, Shea for one, who didn’t agree with her decision. Shea said that Purgatory was a dead-end town and she’d go crazy from not having anything to do. There might be a grain of truth to it, not that she’d let on to her ex.

  
Nothing was ever open here. There was not so much as a cinema, and she was friendless. Right now, the sun was going down as the day edged its way into Saturday night, which was when she usually microwaved a frozen pizza and cracked open a beer in front of the TV.

  
As much as she was happy with what she’d done this afternoon, she needed to get out before cabin fever set in. Maybe she could just go out and walk around for a while. Or, she could drop into one of the town’s only restaurants or bars. She showered and changed into black jeans and a blue button-up shirt.

  
In front of the mirror, she drew off the elastic holding her messy ponytail and brushed her hair out until it shone. She put on some light make-up, hoping to strike a balance between looking good and not trying too hard.

  
Who was she kidding? Waverly was working tonight. She wouldn’t be idly wandering around. She’d be heading straight for Shorty’s.

***

 

After she introduced herself to Waverly, Nicole didn’t seriously expect her to call. There were a couple of days during which she allowed herself a glimmer of hope that she might. There was the way Waverly had looked at her, and how flustered she’d been by Nicole’s attention. There was a spark; Nicole was sure of it.

  
The optimism was a little stupid, though. Waverly was clear about the fact that she wasn’t available.

  
The next time she saw Waverly, it was at the station. Nicole had listened to enough local gossip to understand that she was visiting her sister. The only contact Nicole had with the older Earp was in the kitchen, where Wynonna offered either sarcastic greetings or grunts. She reeked of whiskey half the time; Nicole couldn’t fathom how on earth she’d wound up working for a government agency.

  
When Nicole saw Waverly at work, she smiled at her but didn’t approach. She figured that given Waverly hadn’t called, she’d admire her from a distance. Seeing her around the station brightened Nicole’s days, taking the sting out of whatever boring paperwork she’d been saddled with.

  
She got a kick out of the way Waverly reacted to her not-so-subtle flirtatious looks. When they made eye contact, Waverly ducked her head, and almost blushed. It was adorable.

  
Then one day Waverly came to the desk wearing a big, nervous grin and holding a tray with a couple of coffee cups. She was still wearing her light blue coat, the shoulders dusted with snow.

  
Nicole put down her pen and smiled back. She noticed the way Waverly’s nose crinkled up as she grinned. God, she was so pretty.

  
“Hey, Waverly, how are you doing?”

  
“Great, great, thanks. I figured I owed you that coffee we talked about, so I bought you a cappuccino. That’s your order, right? That’s how you like your coffee?”

  
“It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  
Nicole reached across the desk and took the cup. Waverly’s hair was half pulled up, her cheekbones so beautifully sculpted that Nicole couldn’t stop staring.

  
“You’re welcome. And welcome to Purgatory by the way. You just got here, right?” Waverly asked. She lifted her own coffee cup from the tray and sipped.

  
“I did, a couple of weeks ago. What about you? Did you grow up here?"

  
“Uh-huh. I’m a lifer, I guess! Born and raised, right here in Purgatory.”

  
They made small talk for a few minutes, leaning across the desk toward one another while Waverly recommended the best hiking trails close to town.

  
“Anyway, I should get back to it,” Nicole said, gesturing toward the report she’d been working on. If she had her way, she’d talk to Waverly all day long, but she was conscious of Sherriff Nedley in his office nearby. She’d been working hard at making a good impression.

  
“Oh, sure!”

  
“Thanks again for the coffee, I really appreciate it.”

  
“You’re welcome.”

  
As Waverly walked away, Nicole’s heart sank. Waverly had just come through with Nicole’s suggestion about buying her coffee so, she definitely wouldn’t call. It meant that there was no reason to talk any time again soon. There was that hope again; so misplaced.

  
Waverly took off her coat, hanging it on a hook by the station’s entrance. She was still dressed for her job at the bar in her Shorty’s shirt and high-waisted jeans. Waverly turned, and Nicole quickly snapped her eyes upward. Waverly stepped closer to her again.

  
“Hey. I was going to say you should stop in at the bar again sometime when we’re open! If you wanted to, I mean. I know there’s not much to do around here, but we have a pool table, and a dart board.”

  
“Sure, I’ll definitely do that sometime. It’d be nice to come by for a drink.”

  
Waverly shrugged, a smile on her lips. “Cool. I’m working tomorrow night.”

  
“Cool.”

  
When she left, Nicole let out a breath slowly. It was a very loose invitation, but it was something.

***

Nicole’s boots crunched on the snow as she walked down the quiet street toward Shorty’s, her hands shoved in her jacket pockets to warm them. She’d never minded being alone. The only child of absent parents; she’d nurtured the skill of walking through the world by herself. Now, as her step quickened, she admitted to herself how much she’d been longing for company since she’d moved here.

  
Stepping into Shorty’s, she forced herself to take off her jacket and stamp her boots on the mat before she looked around for Waverly. The bar was full and buzzing, country-rock music drifting heavily over the room. When she found her, Waverly was pushing a beer toward a grizzled man propping up the bar.

  
Nicole stood in place, just looking. What was it about this girl that attracted her so much? Waverly stepped away from the customer, gaze darting around to check on everyone’s drinks, and then they were staring into one another’s eyes from across the room.

  
For a beat, Waverly’s expression was almost grave, though it held its usual warmth.

  
Then a smile broke out on her face, big as the sun, and she gestured toward an empty stool. Nicole hung her coat on a hook underneath the bar and settled herself in.

  
“Hey, what can I get you?” Waverly asked brightly.

  
“I’ll take a beer thanks. What do you have on draft?”

  
Waverly reeled off a few names, and when Nicole didn’t immediately answer, she jumped in. “I can get you some tasters if you like?”

  
“Thanks, I’ll just get a Kokanee, please. Careful with the taps.”

  
“Haha,” Waverly said, eyes sparkling before she drew the beer and put the frosted glass in front of Nicole.

  
Nicole slipped a note onto the bar, and Waverly shook her head. “It’s on me.”

  
“You already bought me a coffee! Thank you, but I can’t accept that,” she said, balling the note in her fist and pushing it forward.

  
Waverly’s hand closed over her own. “Seriously, your money’s no good here.”

  
There was a brief tussle as their fists moved back and forth, each of them laughing, and then Waverly moved their joined hands firmly across the bar. Waverly’s skin was warm and soft where her touch lingered.

  
“It’s a welcome to Purgatory. Okay?”

  
“Thanks,” Nicole said.

  
So, she’d learned something new about Waverly. She could be stubborn.

  
When Waverly turned to another customer, Nicole allowed her gaze to drop to check her out. Though she’d been doing her very best to be respectful, she couldn’t help looking at those toned arms and her midriff, coupled with the soft curve of her breasts.

  
Pulling herself away, Nicole made small talk with the middle-aged man to her right, while Waverly served other patrons. Now and then their looks snagged on one another’s, and they’d smile. Out of the cold with a crisp beer in hand, Nicole couldn’t imagine anything she’d rather be doing.

  
She ordered a second drink, which Waverly accepted payment for this time. When Waverly was done serving her, she stared for so long that Nicole swiped at her nose self-consciously.

  
“Do I have something on my face?” Nicole asked.

  
“No, sorry, it’s just…your hair. No braid.”

  
“And thank Christ for that, I hate that thing. It’s regulation.”

  
“I like it both ways. It’s nice like this.”

  
Waverly reached out and sifted the ends of Nicole's hair through her fingers. Nicole sat dumbly for a moment.

  
“Thanks.”

  
With Waverly’s encouragement, Nicole ordered a third beer, enjoying the buzz. She was halfway through it when thoughts intruded that she should be heading home soon. The worst thing Nicole could think of was looking desperate. As much as she was sure Waverly was flirting with her too, at the end of the day this was a girl with a boyfriend.

  
“Can I get you another beer?” Waverly asked.

  
“Thanks, but I’ll close out.”

  
“Sure! You’re not driving home, though, are you?”

  
“Of course not. Too much to drink for that.”

  
“I’ll be off in half an hour. I can give you a ride home.”

  
“That’s so nice of you, but it’s really not far. I’m just down on Victoria Street,” she said, waving her hand.

  
Worry passed over Waverly’s face. “This town isn’t the safest place to walk alone at night. I’m surprised nobody’s told you that.”

  
They had, of course, and Nicole thought it was strange. It was true that Purgatory seemed to have more than its fair share of lowlives, but when even the Sherriff told her to be careful, she felt like laughing at how much living in a small town could alter your frame of reference.

  
“Waverly, I’m a cop,” she said, leaning across the bar to make herself hard. When Waverly leaned toward her too, she could smell her shampoo, soft and honey-spiced. “And I always carry a gun whether I’m on duty or not, strapped to my ankle.”

  
Waverly’s eyes flared for a second, and she shook her head. “Sometimes, around here, that wouldn’t make such a difference. Wait for me. It’s not long.”

  
Nicole shrugged. She wasn’t about to turn down the chance to spend more time with Waverly. So, she sat and eyed her discreetly while she settled bills and collected tips, looping around the bar as gracefully as a dancer. Soon Waverly was shrugging on her coat and nodding toward the door.

  
“You really don’t have to do this, but I appreciate it,” Nicole said when they were exiting the bar.

  
“It’s no trouble.”

  
Was it just her or did Waverly seem a little jittery when she slid behind the wheel of her Jeep? She was staring straight ahead, not looking at Nicole when she joked that it was a shame Purgatory didn’t have Uber. Because she lived only a few blocks away from the bar, the trip was over before it began. When Nicole pointed out her place, Waverly pulled over to the curb and left the car running.

  
“Thanks again for the ride. Thanks for the beer, too. I had fun tonight.”

  
“Anytime!”

  
Nicole wondered how Waverly could look so beautiful even in the scant light that spilled in from her porch. What she wouldn’t give to be able to lean over and kiss her goodnight.

  
Nicole unbuckled her seatbelt. “Well, I’ll see you around, Waverly.”

  
When she was getting into bed after showing and brushing her teeth, she checked her phone.

  
_Hey, this is my number!_

  
There was a smiley face emoji afterward, and Nicole sent one back then smiled for real, into the dark.

  
She’d kept it. Waverly still had her card.


	2. Just One Look

She would have broken up with Champ anyway, she kept telling herself. Of course, she would have sooner or later. For a long time now she’d known that she didn’t seriously intend to marry him.

It didn’t have anything at all to do with Nicole Haught.

Back in high school, Waverly was so into the idea of her and Champ as a couple. She’d snagged the most sought-after guy in school, thus turning herself into less of a weirdo. It gave people something to talk about other than her inescapable Earpness.

Waverly and Champ at the Homecoming Dance, Waverly cheering for Champ at the big game. There was no question of her getting invited to all the significant events now, to being not just accepted but being envied by the popular girls.

Of course, she didn’t understand her motivation at the time. It was only lately, with school left far behind, that she could see what she’d gotten out of it. Now she’d grown and changed, but he was still the same old Champ. They might both still be living in Purgatory, but unlike him, she had a sense of purpose.

Nothing was more important to her than fighting a curse he didn’t even know existed. He was like all the townsfolk who pretended there was nothing supernatural going on in Purgatory, swallowing Nedley’s explanations like children and looking the other way.

She needed more. So, no, it had nothing to do with Nicole.

Didn’t mean she wasn’t eager for Nicole to know about it. Seeing Champ through Nicole’s eyes was part of what sparked the change in her recently. It wasn’t just that Champ was a douche to Nicole; he was also just plain _embarrassing_. Whenever Nicole was around, he draped himself over her, making lame jokes and peppering her with kisses she didn’t want. He’d never been the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knew enough to be threatened by the beautiful new girl in town. At least he wasn’t hitting on Nicole.

And as for Nicole, she was always polite when Champ was around, but Waverly could practically see the wheels in her brain turning, wondering why on earth Waverly was with a guy like him. With Wynonna asking the same question, it hit her that there was no reasonable answer. She’d rather be alone than settle for him anymore.

Waverly wanted Nicole to know that she’d done it; that she’d made a smart choice by finally dumping Champ. Since exchanging numbers they texted often, but it was a jokey back and forth conversation about their days. Nothing too serious, and Waverly couldn’t figure out how to work in the news without it being awkward. She worried that it might sound like she was hinting for Nicole to ask her out for coffee again, now that she was single.

Was that what she wanted? She wasn’t even sure. It was easier to text than to talk to Nicole, who always left her tongue-tied. When Nicole wore her uniform with the top button undone, there was a patch of creamy skin visible. Waverly couldn’t stop looking at it, even when she promised herself she wouldn’t.

Lately, all her time was consumed by thinking about Nicole. She was trying to not worry about what that meant. She’d had crushes on girls in high school, but they always passed.

It didn’t feel like this was going to pass.

It was way more powerful than any crush she’d had before. All Nicole had to do was walk into a room for it to undo her.

She decided to just wait, and hope that Nicole would find out about the break-up with Champ some other way.

***

 

“I’m so glad you broke up with that ding-dong,” Wynonna said, fumbling with the coffee maker in the station break room.

“I know. You’ve said that like, a thousand times. I’m well aware that you don’t like him. I don’t know why I’m doing this for you,” Waverly replied from the sink, where she was scrubbing out the stubborn ringed coffee stain in the bottom of a mug.

“How do you know it’s mine?”

“Because you don’t rinse out your cups at home, either.”

Wynonna let out a satisfied hoot when the machine started working. “You sound like Dolls. Seriously, I can’t wait to _not_ see Champ’s pretty little face at the homestead. I wish I’d seen that face when you dumped him.”

Waverly rolled her eyes at the way Wynonna was chuckling, but she was smiling, too.

“Oooh! You must have a thousand pictures of his junk. Can we put them on the internet now? To get him back for being such a tool?”

They both spun around at the sound of a throat clearing. Waverly’s heart lurched at the sight of Nicole. Had anyone ever looked that good in a uniform? Her eyes went straight to that opened shirt, as always.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you plotting to post revenge porn. So illegal,” Nicole said, but she was trying not to laugh. Her dimples were showing.

Wynonna pulled a face. “Just my luck, for the biggest narc in town to walk in right when we were talking about that.”

Nicole ignored the jibe, holding up her cup and nodding toward the coffee maker.

“Can I get in on that pot, please?”

“Of course!” Waverly said, and they met in the middle. When Waverly took the cup from Nicole’s hand, their fingers brushed.

“I’ll take it black today, thanks. So. Dare I ask who you two are talking about?”

“Champ. This one finally dumped his ass yesterday,” Wynonna replied, gesturing toward Waverly with a thumb.

“Oh,” Nicole said, looking back and forth between them and studying Waverly’s face with her brow slightly creased. Before Waverly turned back to the coffee machine, she saw Nicole open her mouth and close it again.

When Waverly was passing the coffee back to her, they locked eyes.

There was something about Nicole’s eyes that went right into her, laying her bare. She wondered if other people felt the same way when Nicole looked at them and whether this was all in her head.

Deep down, she knew that wasn’t true, and that Nicole was flirting with her. She’d lost count of how many times she’d caught Nicole looking when she was half-turned away. For a while now, it had been a little experiment for Waverly, to dress in ways that might catch Nicole’s attention. It was fun, but truth be told it didn’t make much difference. Even when she was in her work clothes, Nicole seemed to like it.

Finally, Nicole thanked Waverly for the coffee and left without saying anything else.

Later that day, when Wynonna started complaining about being hangry, Waverly volunteered to get sandwiches for the team. Passing through the station meant walking by Nicole, so when she closed the Black Badge office door, she checked her hair and smoothed down her skirt.

There was nobody else around, and she started for the exit, watching Nicole until she looked up.

“Hey, Wave. You headed out for the day?”

“No, just going to get lunch. Can I get you something?” she asked.

“No thanks, I’m good. Hey…I wanted to ask, are you doing okay? You and Champ were together for a long time, right?”

Though she was in her usual relaxed pose, Nicole tapped the end of her pen quickly on the papers she was working on. She was tilted forward in her seat, her warm brown eyes trained on Waverly again.

“Yeah, we were. Since we were in high school. Five years,” she said, moving closer to Nicole’s desk.

“Wow. Break-ups are rough, especially after that long. I’m sorry.”

“Thanks for saying that. I’m okay. It was a long time coming.”

It wasn’t something she was saying to put a positive spin on it; leaving the dead-end relationship was more of a relief than anything. She didn’t miss him, but she didn’t want to sound callous about it, either.

“Then I’m happy for you. I guess breakups don’t always suck.”

“Not always,” Waverly said. She looked at Nicole, calculating. She’d wanted to ask about her history for a while, and now that they were on the topic, she saw an opening. “Have you had some bad ones?”

Nicole shrugged. “Sure, there was one not so long ago that didn’t work out too well.”

“What happened?” Waverly asked.

“Oh…you know. We grew apart. It was a little messy, but she and I still talk.”

“That’s nice,” Waverly said, even though she didn’t like the idea. She wondered what this ex-girlfriend looked like. Her next question was going to be how long they were together, but Nicole spoke again before she could ask.

“Being single can be freeing. I don’t know if I’d have moved here if we were still together,” Nicole said, chin propped on her fist.

“I know what you mean. Now I’m single I’ve got more time to do stuff that’s important to me, you know?”

Waverly was watching Nicole’s lips again. While Nicole talked, she focused intently on their shape and how full they were and how soft they looked.

She’d spent an awful lot of time lately trying to imagine what it would be like to kiss them. The fantasy took many forms. She fell asleep every night thinking about Nicole grabbing her at work, late at night when the bar was closed, and nobody was around. She imagined Nicole coming to the homestead for one reason or another and pushing her up against the wall. Or, the two of them were making out in Nicole’s police cruiser, lying across the back seat.

In that dream world, she confidently ran her fingers through Nicole’s hair and pulled her close. There, Waverly touched her breasts, which she thought about at least as often as her mouth. She liked to visualize breaking Nicole’s composure, turning her on, because she always seemed so cool when Waverly felt so out of control.

In the real world, her thoughts raced, telling her that she could never do any of that stuff and that she didn’t know the first thing about being with someone like Nicole. It didn’t mean that she couldn’t admire those perfect lips, tucking the image of them away for later.

Her gaze finally snapped back up to Nicole’s eyes, and she knew she’d been caught. Nicole smirked, and Waverly flushed.

“Sorry, what were you saying?”

“Just asking what kind of thing it is that you want to do more of?” Nicole asked, still fiddling with her pen. Even her hands were beautiful; slender and long-fingered. Another thing to think about later.

“I’m into history, stuff like that. I’ve done a lot of online courses. I like researching and reading. I want to learn as much as I can.”

“That’s really cool,” Nicole said, smiling in a way that made her very glad she’d told her. She’d wanted Nicole to know that there was more to her than her job at _Shorty’s_ , even if Nicole didn’t seem to care about stuff like that. Nicole had never treated her like she was just a waitress; she seemed to think everything Waverly said was smart or funny.

“Anyhow, I should let you get back to work. Sorry, I’m distracting you.”

“Not at all. I’m always happy to talk to you.”

How did she do that? Nicole could inject a tone that sounded highly suggestive, yet not at all sleazy.

There was a long beat during which they stared at one another, and then Waverly slowly walked away.

_Don’t look over your shoulder. Don’t look back._

As she got to the door, she looked back. Just like she’d hoped, Nicole was still looking at her. She smiled sheepishly, but Nicole just kept on with that steady gaze.

Waverly fumbled with the door handle.

She wondered how long it would take to get the lunch, and how quickly she could get back here to see Nicole again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say thanks for the kudos and the lovely comments, it's super encouraging.


	3. Fancy Seeing You Here

Since rolling into town, everyone had been telling Nicole she should check out “Purgatory’s Finest Restaurant.” She’d finally caved tonight, bored and craving anything other than her own cooking. Between Shae and the roommate she’d had before her, it was a while since she’d lived alone. Preparing food for one meant either slapping something together or eating leftovers of more elaborate meals for days.

Purgatory’s Finest Restaurant. It must be an inside joke, the kind of thing the locals said to rib new people in town. The diner had sticky floors and kitschy decorations, loud country music adding to the greasy spoon vibe.

Nicole slid into a booth, accepting a menu from the waitress, a bleached blonde woman whose name tag said Toni.

At least Nicole could blend in here. The booths near her were dotted with couples, but there were a few diners here on their own, as well. By the time she’d decided to come here, it was too late to ask anyone to join her. Most of the people she knew in town were colleagues anyway, and she didn’t want to spend her night off talking shop.

Of course, there was also Waverly. She toyed with the idea of sending a casual invite, she could make it clear dinner was a last-minute thing and no big deal.

She thought better of it. As much as she wanted to see Waverly, the break-up with Champ was still pretty new, and Nicole didn’t want to risk any perception that she was swooping in. She’d been hoping to get closer to Waverly for a while now. If by some miracle it happened, she didn’t want to be on a rebound.

Let Waverly set the pace. If she were interested, she’d let Nicole know when she was ready. That was what her gut told her. That was the plan she’d decided on, and she was sticking to it.

To amuse herself, she chose a ridiculous spaghetti dish. Not long after she’d ordered, Toni came back with a huge basket of breadsticks, laying them down wordlessly. She had what Nicole’s aunt would refer to as a “sour puss”; the thought nearly made her giggle.

“Oh thanks, but I don’t need those. It’s just me.”

“They’re complementary,” Toni said flatly, walking away before she could protest further.

Nicole shrugged and picked up a stick, breaking it in half. She’d just taken a bite when a tap on her shoulder made her spin around.

“Well, fancy seeing you here,” Waverly said, and they grinned at one another like fools.

Waverly had her hands full with a couple of big brown paper bags, obviously picking up take out. For a moment, Nicole was embarrassed to be caught eating here alone, but she was so happy to see her that it was worth it. She quickly swallowed her bread so she could reply.

“Where else would I be? This is the local hot spot, right?”

“Oh, absolutely. I see you’re on the bread course, but you’re in for a treat when you get your entrée.”

“Can’t wait. I don’t know how you can choose to miss out on the amazing ambiance here,” she said, gesturing toward the take-out.

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Wynonna was too drunk to drive, but she was going on and on about hankering for a burger. So, I got us both one. Sometimes I feel like I exist just to keep her fed.”

“At least it’ll soak up some of the booze though, right?”

“Exactly.” Waverly nodded to the empty seat across from her. “Flying solo tonight?”

“Yep. Sit a minute if you like? I mean, I don’t want your food to get cold…”

She hadn’t finished the sentence before Waverly headed for the seat, taking off her jacket to reveal a short pink skirt over tights and white sweater.

She put the bags next to her then rifled through them, taking a foil-wrapped package out. “You know what? I’m just going to tuck in when you get your meal. Who knows if Wynonna will even want her food by the time I get back, and I’d rather eat with you. I mean, I’d rather eat here, in a restaurant. It’s Purgatory’s finest, after all.”

Toni strode toward them with a plate in hand. Nicole hadn’t known that she was capable of cracking an honest-to-god smile like the one that crossed her face when she saw Waverly.

“Hi sweetie, I didn’t see you come in!”

“Hey Toni,” Waverly said.

Toni smiled at Nicole this time as she put the plate down in front of her. She quickly turned back to Waverly. “You’re not going to eat out of that! Let me get you a proper plate. Can I get you ladies anything else?”

“Thanks, Toni, that’s all, and that would be great if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Of course not,” she said, hurrying off.

Nicole raised her eyebrows. “Like I said the first time we met, you really are popular around this town.”

Waverly shrugged, popping a fry into her mouth. “I’ve known everyone since forever. Toni’s son was in my class at school.”

Toni was back a moment later, laying the plate down.

“All good here?” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.

“Thanks, Toni.”

“So, how’s your week going?” Nicole said when she was gone, chewing. The meatballs in rich sauce were much better than she’d expected.

“Not bad at all. This is a rare night off for me.”

“Then it’s just what I thought. I really am lucky you’re here,” Nicole said, enjoying the flush that crept up Waverly’s cheeks. “How long have you been working at Shorty’s, anyway?”

“I started as soon as I turned eighteen. Shorty had promised me a job for a while, and I really wanted to work. There aren’t a lot of options around here. But I like it there, anyway.”

“Good. And you’re good at it.”

“There’s not much to it.”

“That’s not true! I’ve seen you work. And I’ve been a waitress, so I know how much you’ve got to be on your game.”

“You were a waitress, too?”

“Sure. I started working when I was in high school. Put myself through college. I wanted to be independent.”

Abruptly, Waverly leaned across the table to move a lock of hair that must have been stuck to her lip gloss. Waverly’s eyes were fixed to her face; she was concentrating on Nicole’s mouth even after she moved the hair out of the way.

Finally, Waverly picked up her burger again.

“Thanks,” Nicole said.

“No problem. So, you’ve met my sister. What about you, you have any siblings?” she asked with her eyes trained on her plate.

“Nope, only child.”

They finished their meals, chatting a little about their families before Waverly started asking Nicole questions about her time in college and the academy. When Toni came to offer dessert menus, Nicole looked at Waverly.

“I’m game if you are?”

“Let’s split pie? Toni, do you have the peanut butter chocolate?” Waverly asked.

“We sure do, you want it with ice cream?”

They both nodded enthusiastically and ordered coffee to go along with it.

They lingered over their dessert, leaning close across the table, spoons knocking into one another’s. They had second and then third cups of coffee, and finally, Nicole looked around and realized the place had emptied out.

“Well, I guess we’d better be going. Thanks for hanging out. This was fun,” she said.

“It was.”

They locked eyes while Waverly fiddled with an earring. Was she sad to part ways like Nicole was? Nicole wanted to spend all night with her, just talking.

“Is Wynonna going to kill you over that cold burger?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.

Waverly shrugged, smiling and looking like she didn’t much care either way.

They gathered their things, bidding goodbye to Toni and pulling on their jackets. By silent agreement, Nicole walked Waverly to her car. There were flickering lights overhead, a handful of cars scattered around the dirt floor of the carpark.

Waverly looked up at her while they stood there silently, the tension thick and sweet. Waverly wanted to kiss her too, she was sure of it, even though she was standing there with her arms crossed.

Nicole considered moving in for a hug. It was too much, so instead, she lightly took a fist full of Waverly’s coat sleeve and squeezed. “Well, goodnight.”

“Goodnight!” Waverly said quickly, turning and opening her door. Stepping back to give her space, Nicole stuck her tongue in her cheek. She’d caught the way Waverly had tipped forward on her toes, bringing them just a little closer together.

She waved at Waverly through the window, then turned to go to her car, humming to herself.

***

Nicole mashed the mouse button, staring at the report she was trying to write for Nedley. She’d been typing and deleting for a while now, but it wasn’t coming together. How was she supposed to explain everything that had happened to her, and to Wynonna?

How could she write this thing without mentioning Jack the Ripper? It sounded utterly crazy, but she’d been trained to focus on facts. The two things didn’t fit together. Facts and scary as shit, supernatural events.

Only what if they did?

“Jesus!” she said, putting a hand on her chest.

Waverly stood a few feet away in her Shorty’s gear, watching her. Nicole hadn’t heard her come in.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, especially after…I just didn’t expect to see you back at work so soon. I mean, I stopped in to see if you were here, but I didn’t know if I’d see you.”

Nicole drew her fingers away from the keyboard. “Once I was cleared to go home from the hospital, I wanted to be here. How are you? With Wynonna and everything, I mean.”

Waverly shook her head, smiling softly at her. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that question? You’re the one who ended up in the hospital, after all.”

Not for the first time, she wondered how much Waverly knew about this place. She’d grown up here. There was no way she hadn’t noticed all the weird stuff that went on. Would Waverly trust her enough to talk to her about it?

In the time they’d spent together Waverly hadn’t said anything explicitly, though now that she thought about it, she’d tried to warn Nicole about Purgatory’s dangers. Maybe there were good reasons why she hadn’t said more. Maybe she was scared too.

“I’m okay. It was scary, but physically, I’m recovering okay,” she said cautiously.

“Good. I’m sorry I freaked out at the hospital. I should have stayed with you,” Waverly blurted out. “I just couldn’t sit still, you know? All that stuff that happened at home at my party, and then for this to happen right after. I was so worried about Wynonna, but you have no idea how glad I was to see you all in one piece.”

With a furrowed brow, Nicole unconsciously put her hand out to reach across the desk toward Waverly, even though she was still at least a few steps away.

“Don’t beat yourself up about anything, okay? It’s all good. And Wynonna? I haven’t seen her around yet.”

“She’s doing okay. Anyway, I should get to work. But it was nice to see you.”

“It was nice to see you too, Waverly.”

When she was gone, Nicole kept plugging away at the report, but her mind was still on the visit.

Waverly kept doing that; reaching out to her then quickly retreating. She didn’t know what to make of it, but what she did know with certainty was that there was a pull between them.

It was so strong it felt like it could knock her over if she let it.

_Let Waverly set the pace_ , she counseled herself.

She was spending too much time thinking about Waverly, she knew it.

But as she typed, she let her mind drift back to those warm hazel eyes and the way she saw herself through them. Getting to know Waverly gave her hope, and something to hang on to.

It kept her warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thanks for the feedback! I wasn't sure anyone would be interested in something that's probably been done so often, and it's encouraged me to keep going x


	4. Chapter 4

Nicole stepped out of the station with her head spinning. It wasn’t surprising that Nedley had asked her to rewrite her report. She’d hoped for a different reaction from him but hadn’t necessarily expected one.

It made her feel like shit that she would have to compromise her integrity by putting things she _knew_ weren’t true down on paper. It went against both her training and her morals. Ignoring an order from her commanding officer also went against everything she’d been taught. The implausibility of her claims left her on shaky ground; it wasn’t exactly the hill she was willing to die on.

She was stuck in every way.

When Waverly appeared out of nowhere, for a blessed moment she thought this was it. Someone was going to tell her the truth. Instead, their talk only piled on more confusion. Waverly said the weirdest stuff, even bringing up her sexuality for some unknown reason.

Afterward, Nicole got into the cruiser, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel while she drove.

As her temper cooled, pieces of her interaction with Waverly came back to her. It struck her like a lightning bolt that they’d been having parallel conversations, not talking about the same thing at all.

The words looped. Waverly calling her special. Waverly saying she wasn’t ready to “get into it,” but with a hopeful little smile on her face. Like she might _want_ to get ready.

After all this time circling one another, had Nicole just blown the chance to finally have a real conversation about what was going on between them? She should have listened instead of walking off like that. If she’d been on her game, she would have told Waverly they needed to go somewhere and talk. About everything.

Hope bloomed, opening like a flower.

This meant that Nicole hadn’t been off base. She hadn’t imagined the insane chemistry they’d shared since the first day they’d met. It was a misunderstanding, but totally fixable. She’d just explain where her head had been, and Waverly would understand.

By the time Nicole found Waverly walking along the side of the road, she was feeling almost cocky. Everything was going to be okay now because they were going to have that real conversation. No more dancing around their attraction.

They’d had a conversation all right. It was crushing to hear Waverly say she just wanted to be friends. All that flirty banter, the intense eye contact, the checking each other out. Waverly was really going to act like none of it mattered.

She was more devastated than she had any right to be.

Nicole turned the key in the ignition, starting the car for what she was sure was going to be a silent trip back. The Earp homestead was over on the other side of the township, but Nicole wasn’t sure if Waverly was headed there or back to work.

Waverly looked out the window, and Nicole could see enough of her profile to clock a furrowed brow.

Nicole cleared her throat. “Where can I let you out?”

“Shorty’s.”

“Sure thing.”

A few more blocks and she pulled over to the side of the road, the car idling while Waverly undid her seatbelt, still not looking at her.

“Hey,” Nicole said quietly. “I really am sorry about everything that’s going on. I hope you’re okay.”

“Thanks,” Waverly said, a little sharply.

When she shut the car door behind her, there was a lump in Nicole’s throat.

Later at the station, it was there again, brought back with the memory. She tried to swallow it away. The quicker she got over the rejection, the better. At least she knew where she stood once and for all.

It was just that now, she had nothing to look forward to. It would be weird with Waverly. They’d probably end up avoiding one another from now on, passing one another in the station with polite smiles and greetings. Talking about being friends was what you did to save face. It didn’t mean much other than the fact Waverly was trying to let her down gently.

Nicole stared absently at the coffee maker. She hadn’t done a single thing since she’d gotten back to work. Adding insult to injury, she still had to write that bullshit report.

She returned to her desk without the coffee.

Then Waverly came barrelling into the station, a woman on a mission, and her world was turned upside down.

So often what she imagined in her head and what reality threw at her were so different, but kissing Waverly was as good as she’d daydreamed it might be. Better. Lying beneath her, Waverly kept rising to get closer to her, her legs wrapped around Nicole’s waist.

They made out for what somehow felt like both forever and not nearly long enough, and Nicole only pulled away breathlessly when she realized how at risk they were of being caught. Nedley would be back any minute now.

“We should get up,” she whispered. Waverly’s arms were around her neck, and she pulled Nicole down again.

Waverly’s lips were so soft. She couldn’t help sinking into it, and she never wanted to stop. She’d wanted this for so long. In this moment, it was all confirmed, that the special feeling she had for Waverly meant something. Nicole loved the way she tasted, and the way Waverly’s tongue moved gently against her own.

“Alright,” Waverly finally said, and they stood up to tug at clothes and smile shyly at one another.

Nicole moved near again and brushed Waverly’s hair down with her palms, then ran a thumb over her lower lip to fix how she’d smeared their color. Staring back at her with wide eyes, Waverly blinked rapidly, like she couldn’t quite believe what she’d done.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Waverly said, leaning close. Nicole put a hand on either side of Waverly’s head, and they shared a last soft kiss, their mouths fitting together perfectly.

“I’ll go out first,” Waverly said.

“Okay,” Nicole said, watching Waverly open the door and look around to make sure the coast was clear before she headed out.

The laugh that bubbled up was half disbelief, half sheer joy.

***

When Nicole arrived home that night, she was still walking on air.

It was late, and she was too tired to do anything but shower and get into bed, where she rolled over on her side clutching her phone. It buzzed in her hand, the caller ID telling her that it was Shae. They hadn’t talked for a week or two, each of them busy with their new lives. She’d meant to call.

“Do you know what time it is?” Nicole asked, rubbing her eyes.

“And yet, you’re still awake.”

“Yep. Pulled overtime on the front desk because someone called in sick. I’m guessing you just got off work? Or you’re about to go in?” she asked, flopping onto her back.

There was a moment of silence before she answered.

“Not work. I just got back from a date.”

“Oooh,” Nicole said, laughing softly. Not so long ago, despite the mutual decision to separate, she might have been a little jealous. Weighing it up, she decided that there was nothing there. She was happy for her.

“Uh-huh. Third date. It was nice.”

“That’s great. Is this the one you met online?”

“That’s her. What about you? Anything on the horizon in that podunk town of yours?”

She smiled into the dark. “Yeah. I think so.”

“Well go on, who?”

“You know that girl I told you about, Waverly? We might have made a little progress.”

“The straight one?”

Nicole laughed. “I didn’t say she was straight!”

“Didn’t she have a boyfriend?”

“They broke up. And I’m sure she’s interested, trust me,” Nicole said.

There was no need for Shae to know all the details, but Nicole shifted on her mattress to think of just how Waverly had gotten her message across.

“Didn’t say she wasn’t. Just be careful,” Shae said, her voice softening.

“Why?”

“Has she been with a girl before?”

Nicole scowled. She didn’t like where this was going, at all. “I don’t think so. What’s your point?”

“You know what it’s like. She might just be testing the waters. She might freak out. Just look after yourself, okay?”

She lifted her hand to her forehead. This was one of the reasons why they hadn’t worked; because she was so irritated by the fact Shae always knew best. They were too alike in some ways, and it made them butt heads. She took a deep breath to stop herself from snapping. They’d fought enough for a lifetime.

“Okay,” Nicole said.

They chatted for a few moments and then signed off, Nicole yawning and dropping her phone on the nightstand.

She was so tired, but Shae’s words kept coming back to her anyway. She hated to admit it, but they’d gotten under her skin.

Because, what if Shae was right?

***

The next morning Nicole slept late. She was on the afternoon/evening shift again, and she wished she had the night off so she could see Waverly. The happiness she’d felt after their kiss was still there, only now it was slightly dampened by apprehension.

All this stuff did scare Waverly. She’d been charmingly honest about that. She’d taken the kiss as a sign that she was ready to leap in, and in the moment, she’d been sure of that. Nicole just hoped that she didn’t regret anything that had happened; she didn’t think she could take that.

At work she went on patrol, getting back to the station right before Nedley’s happy hour departure. As she came in, she looked on the hook by the door to see if Waverly’s coat was there. No dice. She must be at work herself.

She was debating with herself about whether she should text Waverly when she came through the door like a daydream come to life.

“Heeeey,” Waverly said slowly, the word rolling out like honey.

She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Seeing Waverly made her wonder what she’d been so worried about. Shae was wrong. There was no weirdness as their gazes locked and held. Nothing between them but sweetness and heat.

Waverly tipped her head toward Nedley’s office and lifted her eyebrows.

Nicole nodded back firmly, unable to get out from behind the desk fast enough.

Scanning around the station to make sure nobody else was around, she stepped into Nedley’s office with Waverly close behind her. She pushed the door shut, and a moment later they came together.

Their first kiss was long and deep, her head swimming with how quickly they fell into it. It felt like Waverly had missed her the same way. Like they’d both only been filling in the hours until they could do this again.

They broke apart, bodies still pressed close together. Nicole could still feel breath on her lips and her hands were on Waverly’s hips. She inhaled the fresh, clean scents of shampoo and perfume.

“I’m glad you came by,” Nicole said.

She loved the way Waverly looked up at her bashfully, clutching Nicole’s shirt with her fists.

“Of course.”

 “As nice as this is, I’d love to see you outside of Nedley’s office. Do you have a night off any time soon?” Nicole asked.

“I’m not working on Thursday evening. Are you?”

“I’m not! I’ll knock off at three. Do you want to come to my place? I could cook.”

Waverly bit her lip. “Absolutely. It’s a date.”

“Oh, it’s definitely a date.”

They swayed in one another’s arms a little, beaming at each other.

A moment later, Waverly was pressing her up against the door. They melted into one another, kissing hard. It struck Nicole that if anyone walked past, they might see them pressed up against the blinds. Still kissing Waverly, she guided her away from the door and toward the desk.

There was a surprised gasp from Waverly when she lifted her onto the desk, quickly followed by a sigh. She wrapped her thighs around Nicole.

She could feel Waverly’s hands running over her back, around and up to her face. The pads of her fingers were soft on Nicole’s cheek, and then they were holding her jaw.

Nicole drew back and pressed her lips to Waverly’s temple, then moved down to her neck. Waverly’s head fell back, her fingers digging into Nicole’s hips.

Waverly’s breath was loud, and Nicole moved up to kiss her lips again.

After a while they rested with their foreheads against one another’s, each of them smiling.

“I guess we should stop,” Waverly said.

“Glad we have Thursday, right?”

Nicole helped Waverly slide off the desk, rearranging her skirt.

To say that she was glad came nowhere close to capturing it. She was going to be crawling out of her skin by Thursday.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They waited a while for this date, huh. I've slowed down a lot on this one, but planning on continuing as I feel moved to. Thanks once more for any messages or kudos - very appreciated :)

Starting something with Nicole was like riding a rollercoaster. It was scary to be up so high.

Waverly had never even been on a rollercoaster. How could she have? They didn’t have one in the Ghost River Triangle. She’d never been to a theme park, so she had to improvise like she did with so many things. Read about it in books or dream up the rush of the ride.

For a while, she’d really thought that she could live with wanting Nicole and not having her. Just because it was hard, didn’t mean she couldn’t do it. There was a considerable risk of being a pariah in this town, and she’d worked so hard to make people like her despite her background. The idea of adding an unconventional relationship to the mix was too much. What would they all think?

For a while, it was almost enough to dream about being with Nicole. Touching that patch of skin on her chest, trailing her fingers down lower. Running her hands through Nicole’s hair. What it would feel like to be pressed up against that tall body, to fully breathe in that delicious smell she’d only drawn in hints of.

Waverly didn’t even try to stop herself from fantasizing. She thought about kissing Nicole while she pulled beers and before she went to sleep and when she was driving from town back out to the homestead. But it wasn’t only the thought of people finding out that worried her, it was the intensity of her feelings. Relationships had always been easy because there was never much to lose. You couldn’t get hurt when there wasn’t much to lose.

Losing Nicole, though? That would be different. When Nicole was lying in the hospital, she’d had a small taste of what it might be like.

It turned out that Nicole was more than worth the risk. It might be scary to be up this high, but now that she’d jumped aboard, she found that Nicole had a way of making her feel safe. She was hurtling through the air, but she was strapped into Nicole’s arms. Everything might just be okay for once.

On Thursday afternoon, she shaved her legs, moisturized, picked out her best underwear, and sprayed on perfume. Though she wasn’t planning on doing more than kissing tonight, it gave her something to do. Choosing an outfit took an age; she kept tossing clothes on the floor. Eventually she decided on a jean skirt and layered a sweater and coat over a sheer pink top.

On the drive into town, her heart thumped like a drum. She pulled in a deep breath, telling herself that she was only going to Nicole’s for dinner. They’d already made out like crazy, and they’d already shared a meal together. This was just a combination of those two things.

She liked those two things, she thought with a crooked grin.

She was glad they were hanging out at Nicole’s, anyway, instead of going out. They hadn’t talked about the fact that Waverly wanted to keep things just between the two of them for the moment. It was still early days, and when she didn’t really know what this was, she wasn’t ready to tell anyone.

Nicole just seemed to know that was how she wanted it right now. There were a lot of things she seemed to know without being told.

Waverly steered the Jeep over to the curb on Victoria Street, outside a house she knew like she knew all the houses in Purgatory. It was the unofficial deputy residence. Before Nicole, it was rented by a guy called Mick. And before him it was Officer Gill, who’d requested a transfer out after only six months. Nobody ever lasted long.

The door opened before she could knock. Nicole’s stood, barefoot and with her hair loose. The soft blue button-up shirt and black jeans looked as good on her as her uniform did.

“Hey,” Nicole said, dimple showing.

When they were inside, she helped Waverly out of her coat then pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. She smelled fresh and sweet like she’d just gotten out of the shower.

“Come, I’ll show you around.”

She tugged on Waverly’s wrist until she followed, the two of them wandering around the house with their fingers interlaced. Waverly paused in front of the fridge, scanning the colorful magnets.

“You’ve been to all these places?”

“Sure!”

She loved the way Nicole slung an arm around her shoulder while they were looking, using her other hand to point at one that said something about fancy women.

“This is one of my favorites, from New Orleans. I love that city.”

Something brushed her legs. A ginger cat slinked against her calves, a fat little thing that melted her heart.

“What did you say her name was?” she asked, bending down to pat soft fur.

“Calamity Jane. She’s only just starting to forgive me for moving again.”

The cat arched under her hand, purring.

“I hope you like pasta? I’ve never cooked vegan before, so I went with something simple. Pasta Aglio e olio, with cashew parmesan I made.”

“I’m sure it’ll be delicious.”

She beamed. Homemade vegan cheese? Nobody had ever gone to that much trouble for her. When she gave the cat a final pat and straightened, Nicole stood closer, fitting her hands over Waverly’s hips.

“You look so pretty tonight. I’ve been looking forward to this,” Nicole said, warm brown eyes drinking her in.

“Me too,” she replied, looping her arms around Nicole’s neck.

The kiss they shared was searing, Nicole’s fingers splaying out over her waist. Her touch was light in the beginning, but it was getting firmer. Waverly wanted more of it, and she pushed forward. The hint of danger that was always there when they made out in Nedley’s office was gone, but it didn’t make the kiss any less exciting.

Every time she was close to Nicole like this, her height was overwhelming in the best way. She was so tall it made Waverly feel surrounded by her. She stood on her toes to get closer, to press herself into that perfect pout.

Nicole drew away, and Waverly followed the movement of her tongue with her eyes when she licked her lips.

They both giggled, piercing the tension. Waverly guessed that they must be thinking the same thing. The chemistry between them was insane; she’d never experienced anything like it.

“I’d better get that pasta going, or I don’t think we’re going to get to it.”

“Can I help?”

With long strides, Nicole went over to the small table, pulling out a chair and tipping her head toward it.

“Please, put your feet up. There’s not much to do. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Just some water, thanks.”

Nicole stood in front of the oven pouring boiling water into a pot and snapping fettucine into it, one leg bent behind her. Her toenails were painted an unexpected fire engine red. In her jeans, her butt was round, beautifully shaped.

When Nicole looked back over her shoulder, she realized where Waverly’s stare had been and lifted her eyebrows, grinning.

Waverly sipped, smiling around the glass.

“So, you’ve been everywhere. Looks like it, anyway. Why settle in Purgatory?”

Nicole turned back to her task.

“Simple answer is Nedley. He came to meet with me in person, really sold the place to me.”

“Wow. Who knew Nedley was so powerful? And your family? Are they still back in Toronto?”

It took such a long time for Nicole to answer that Waverly almost repeated herself, figuring she hadn’t heard.

Then Nicole slowly picked up the salt, shaking it into the water.

“Yeah. But I didn’t really see them anyway. I’m an only child, and I haven’t talked to my folks in a while.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. My parents are kind of assholes, actually. But it’s okay.”

“Hey, mine too. Daddy was, anyway. And I don’t even know where my mom is.”

Done with the pasta, for now, Nicole set the timer and crossed back over to the table, standing close behind her. Waverly closed her eyes when Nicole’s hands rested on her shoulders, then Nicole’s palm was on her neck until they were both tipping her head back. Waverly wasn’t sure whether the kiss was meant to comfort her or Nicole, but either way, it was working.

Because, how could you be sad about anything when there were kisses like this? Nicole’s tongue was in her mouth, and she met it eagerly, her stomach plunging with the sensation. They kissed until the beep of the timer sounded, and Nicole pulled back, nuzzling into her shoulder before she moved away.

They ate at the table, candles guttering around them, while a Johnny Cash album played softly in the background.

She’d been so nervous, but this was just…easy. They talked and laughed through dinner, Nicole recounting stories about her travel and the year she spent in the Peace Corps. With anyone else, Waverly might feel that her life in Purgatory was boring and small in comparison. But Nicole acted like everything she said was fascinating.

They cleaned up together, Nicole resting a hand on Waverly’s hip or brushing a palm over her hair now and then as she put things away.

Finally, Nicole worried the dishcloth between her hands for a moment before hanging it on its hook.

“Wanna watch a movie or something? I mean, it’s cool if you have to go?”

“No, I don’t have to. That sounds nice.”

They sat close to one another on the sofa, Nicole resting her feet on the coffee table in front of them. Waverly let herself sink into the anticipation of knowing that they’d be kissing again soon.

Nicole opened Netflix and scrolled through until they settled on _The Goonies_ , agreeing that it was a classic.

Tension blanketed the room, the movie disappearing. Waverly couldn’t focus on anything but Nicole’s body beside her. Their thighs were pressed together, and at last Nicole took her hand, lightly tracing her thumb back and forth over the back of it.

After a while, it dawned on her that Nicole was waiting for her to make the first move.

Waverly turned to her, Nicole sighing into her mouth when their lips joined.

***

A few nights later they were sitting on the sofa again, knee to knee, with _The Conjuring_ playing this time. The opening credits were still rolling when Nicole inched her palm over to Waverly’s thigh, pressing it lightly over her jeans.

Nicole wasn’t even sure why they were pretending to watch a movie except that it made it even more fun, somehow, to have the TV’s glow flickering over them.

She bit her lip, enjoying the warmth under her hand and savoring the thought of what lay ahead.

On their first date, they’d made out for hours. They’d agreed before Waverly left that night that they’d do it again as soon as they could. It was late; Waverly had come over after her shift at Shorty’s. Neither of them wanted to wait until they both had another night off.

She rubbed her thumb over the inside of Waverly’s thigh, thrilling at how it made Waverly’s breath catch. She liked to get her going, but it felt important to let Waverly lead the way and come to her. From their conversations so far, she knew she was the first woman Waverly had been with.

But oh, when Waverly came to her, Nicole was ready. She cupped Waverly’s face, using a finger to draw her mouth open so she could slip her tongue into that very willing mouth.

They kissed at a languid pace, hands running over one another, each of them pulling the other in.

Waverly tasted of mint. Her lips were pillow-soft, her hair silky as it brushed against Nicole’s skin. All of these things were true, but still she couldn’t say precisely why she was more attracted to Waverly than she’d ever been to anyone else.

It just _was_. She didn’t need to explain it, just be over the moon about it.

The way they were sitting side by side was a little awkward, and Nicole was thinking of changing position when Waverly moved onto her lap. She smiled into Waverly’s mouth. The kiss went on and on, changing shape, becoming desperate and heated.

She ran trembling hands over Waverly’s waist, concentrating on the feel of her warm lips and soft tongue. Waverly ground down into her, kissing her so intensely it took her apart.

Waverly was still wearing her Shorty’s shirt, which meant that there was a strip of honeyed skin bared to her, and she ran her fingers over it. There was an answering shiver in Waverly; she could taste it.

Nicole did her best to stay tethered to her good sense. The last thing she wanted was to rush things. The consequences of rushing had been disastrous in the past, especially with Shae. She understood now what all that was about. She’d been searching for a family to replace what she’d lost or never had.

This time around, she wanted to do things right. Waverly was too important not to do it right.

The swell of Waverly’s breasts were so close it made her hands ache. She grazed fingertips over her stomach, tracing the taut muscles. She let her fingers slide up under Waverly’s shirt, keeping them just under the hem.

They broke off, Waverly tilted away from her, each of them panting.

“Everything okay?” Nicole asked, moving her hands down and rubbing circles on Waverly’s hips.

“Of course.”

“Really?”

“I want to do something, but I don’t want to send the wrong message.”

“How do you mean?”

“You know I’m not ready to do… _it_ yet, right?”

Stifling a giggle, she nodded. It was just like Waverly to start a serious conversation when she was in her lap. She moved her hands to Waverly’s shoulders, locking eyes with her.

“Of course. I wasn’t trying to push it in that direction. I want to go as slow as you want to go. Okay?”

They shared a kiss, long and tender. It took a moment for Nicole to remember how the conversation had started, and when she did, she pulled back.

“Wait, you said you wanted to do something? Was that it, did you mean talk? Because you never need to worry about that. I always want to know what you’re thinking.”

“Oh, no, that wasn’t it.”

Waverly leaned back and abruptly grabbed the hem of her Shorty’s shirt, pulling her shirt over her head then smoothing her hair down.

Nicole’s eyes widened as she took in shifting muscles and smooth skin. Waverly’s full breasts were covered by a blue-and-white bra with lace edging.

“Oh. Wow.”

She eyed Waverly’s face as she lifted her hands, cupping her breasts. Her skin was silky, and touching her was everything Nicole had dreamed about.

The noise of the TV was quiet, their breath was loud. She traced her fingers over her chest until Waverly bit her lip.

Waverly arched, pressing herself forward into Nicole. While they kissed, she felt Waverly reach back to unclasp her bra, and they broke apart for a moment so that together, they could draw the straps from her shoulders.

Nicole tossed the bra away, eyes never leaving Waverly’s. They kissed, Nicole’s palms running over Waverly’s skin, feeling the peaks of her breasts under her hands.

When she drew away and really looked, it was with wonder. It wasn’t just Waverly’s body, which was breathtaking enough. What really melted Nicole was the small smile on her flushed face, and the trust.

“You’re so beautiful,” Nicole said, their lips a breath apart.

The movie streamed into the next, their sighs and moans blending into the soundtrack.


End file.
